Chapter 238.2: Method of Taming Mutants and Preparations for Spring!
At this moment, Mosquito suddenly came over and asked Tomato Eggs who was working on the Crackleclaw Crab, "Brother, do you still need your crab shell later on?"
Tomato Eggs was confused, "Crab shell? No... But what do you want it for?"
Mosquitoes smirked. "I need it for something. How about selling it to me for 10 silver coins?"
Tomato Eggs rolled his eyes. "Get lost, at least 50 silver coins, and don’t even think of haggling with me."
Mosquito growled, "C’mon man! You don’t even need it!"
Tomato Eggs said in an unpleasant tone, "Can’t I sell it to others? Go and ask the people around you to see if anyone wants it."
Mosquito looked regretful that he couldn’t get it cheap, but he bought it eventually.
When the surrounding players saw what had happened, they immediately realized that their materials had been cut off by Mosquito, and they all left cursing.
Only the natives were still there, not knowing what was going on.
"Let’s make it clear first, don’t break the front shell, these shells are all mine now."Seeing Mosquito with a nervous expression, Tomato Eggs said with a smile, "Don’t worry, you know my skills. But then again, why do you want to buy this crab shell? Even if this thing is sturdy enough... it’s not as good as steel, right?"
"You don’t understand," Mosquito said with a smile, "Do you know how expensive steel is? It costs thousands of silver coins for just a ton of steel! The strength of this crab shell is not inferior to that of steel, and the only drawback is that it is heavier, but this isn’t a big problem!"
"This natural composite material has proven effective in blocking light weapons! So I plan to install an engine for it to power a few robotic legs, a gun barrel on the front, and a machine gun on the back, which will make it as awesome as a live Crackleclaw Crab."
After hearing these words, Tomato Eggs was stunned. He stared at Mosquito with a look of surprise. "Damn bro... That’s incredible."
Mosquito smiled and said modestly, "You flatter me."
...
Just as the players pondered how to make the most of their untamed mutants, their dearest developer was also trying to figure out a way for them to do something.
In the Bull and Horse Brick Factory.
Through the foreman, Yang Seconddog, Chu Guang quickly found the previously captured Gray Wolf.
The guy surrendered and gave up information about the Lion Fang brigade in exchange for leniency. Although the punishment and labor couldn’t be exempted, the work in the factory was a little easier.
When Chu Guang called him over, Gray Wolf was still a little nervous. After all, Black Snake’s body was still hanging by the north gate.
Although he was not a subordinate of Black Snake, he was still very anxious.
However, after hearing Chu Guang’s intention, Gray Wolf was slightly relieved.
At least I am still useful to these people.
So I probably won’t end up like Black Snake...
"It’s hard to get rid of the wild nature of mutants like hyenas and wolves through normal domestication. To tame them completely, you have to raise them when they are young." Gray Wolf explained.
Chu Guang thought for a moment and asked, "How long does it take for a mutant hyena to grow up?"
Gray Wolf replied, "A year and a half, or two years."
A year and a half at the quickest...
A little faster than the Army’s clones, but it’s still very long.
Moreover, it was difficult for a single hyena to form an effective fighting force. It was only stronger than mutant mice and cockroaches, and it could only bully brainless Crunchers.
The mutant snow wolf was slightly stronger, but the average combat power was only at that of LV3, and a few individuals could reach LV5 strength, which was normally the alpha wolf.
Spending two years and a lot of food and energy to cultivate an LV3 combat strength was just not a very cost-effective method.
At the moment, those mutants were really just candidates for pets, and it was still a bit difficult to become battle companions.
Chu Guang continued to ask, "Is there any way to domesticate an adult hyena or a wolf?"
Gray Wolf was troubled by the question, but after thinking for a while, he still nodded hesitantly. "There are, but it’s not easy... And it’s hard to make them work if you can’t eliminate their wild nature."
"That’s fine, as long as there is a way." After saying that, Chu Guang threw him a VM, which had no mission release function, only the recording function was unlocked. "You record the methods and experience of domesticating and raising wild beasts. If we find it useful, your sentence can be reduced."
With a happy expression, Gray Wolf said immediately, "Don’t worry, sir! I’ll tell you everything I know!"
Chu Guang nodded. "You better."
Later, he would ask Little Seven to organize the content of the recording into notes and update the database on the official website, which should provide some reference for his players.
In fact, instead of taming hyenas and wolves, he expected his players to domesticate some more powerful mutants.
Chu Guang believed that as long as they were given enough time, with their ingenuity and creativity, there had to be a way to do it.
...
It’s been a week since Operation Spring Thunder ended. The sunny days in the northern suburbs of Clearspring City were still continuing, and the last heavy snow seemed to be two weeks ago.
Yesterday the snow was knee-deep, but today it could barely cover one’s calf.
Everyone could feel that the cold winter was fading and the frozen lifeforms were being revived.
However, the threat in the north has not been lifted.
For the upcoming war, both the players and the survivors in the northern suburbs were taking the time to actively prepare for the battle.
However, as an administrator, Chu Guang was not only considering military issues at that moment.
He also needed to consider next year’s food production.
More and more facts and evidence had proved that players after awakening were not only powerful in combat, but also ate a lot.
In fact, not only after awakening, but the food consumed by players originally was 1.5 to 2 times that of the aboriginal people. With the increase of level, it could even reach an astonishing 3 times after reaching LV10.
Chu Guang didn’t know what to say for a while. He didn’t know whether it was because the aboriginal people were too poor, or if his players were just a bunch of gluttons.
If it wasn’t for the supplies seized from Black Snake, the grain in the warehouse would not necessarily last until the corn at the greenhouse site matured at the end of next month.
In order to recruit more players into the game, reclamation of the wasteland north of Linghu Lake must be put on the agenda as soon as possible!
In the conference room of Longevity Town, Luca meticulously reported the work to Chu Guang, who came to inspect the work. "Sir, the spring plowing is about to begin. Although we have enough rifles, we cannot plow the land with bayonets and butts."
"Those slaves... I mean prisoners of war, although they can take on the harshest wasteland work, it’s too inefficient to plow the land using sticks and hands, and it’s impossible to complete the production mission without proper equipment."
"We need at least 1,200 sets of farm implements, including hoes, rakes, shovels, and some seeders, as well as transport tools such as trolleys. Since we don’t have enough ox, we have to use prisoners instead."
Chu Guang thought for a moment and asked, "How many tools do we have in stock?"
Luca said with a wry smile. "Sir, we don’t have any inventory... The entire industrial area is producing arms. The only 120 sets of tools were brought from Highway Town and other survivors’ settlements, but the quality of their tools isn’t very good. Less than half of them are made of iron."
Hearing the helplessness in Luca’s tone, Chu Guang was slightly embarrassed.
Because of the external pressure, he admitted that he had indeed focused too much on arming his force a little while ago, but it was also something that couldn’t be helped.
Besides, it wasn’t a bad thing.
The arms industry had driven steel production capacity, and steel production capacity had increased.
With the current condition, it would be very easy to build a few farm tools.
"I will find a way to solve this problem," Chu Guang pondered for a moment and promised, "I will try my best to make up 300 sets of tools needed for land reclamation within a week, and try to close all the gaps by the end of the month. What about our neighbors? Is there a way to borrow some from them?"
Luca thought about it and said. "Brown Farm should have some, but I’m afraid it won’t be enough. As far as I know, they have less than 25,000 square meters of arable land even if you count the indoor planting area."
25,000 square meters…
Chu Guang shook his head. "Too little."
From the northern part of Linghu Lake to the Elm District forest, there were more than 100 square kilometers of wasteland. 25,000 square meters wasn’t enough at all!
In Chu Guang’s plan, the first phase of the planned area of arable land was 20 square kilometers, to ensure that it could feed at least 30,000 people, and to produce part of the cash crops to supply raw materials such as plant fibers, oil, and rubber needed by the industrial zone.
It was not just tool shortages.
Manpower was also a big issue.
In the absence of automated equipment, Chu Guang could only rely on human labor. It was roughly estimated that at least 1,000 to 3,000 people would be mobilized to reclaim the 20 square kilometers of land.
At present, there were about 700 prisoners of war that could be used.
There were currently more than 1,500 people in refugee camps, but only 50% of them were young laborers, and some of them had already been absorbed by industrial areas.
The reason why the rifles and bullets in the hands of players could be sold so cheaply was inseparable from the sweat of these people on the assembly line.
Children under the age of 12 weren’t useful, and even if women and elderly people who could work were put into the production line, it was estimated that only 400 to 500 people could be gathered.
After pondering for a moment, Chu Guang muttered, "Part of the production mission can be allocated to players who like farming, and a unique farming career can be designed.”
"If it works well, they can apply for more land."
At the end of the day, farming was a technical job which required a lot of patience.
Farming in Wasteland Online was very different from other online farming games.
Growing and harvesting vegetables was not a matter of two clicks of the mouse. Not only would the seeds have to be sown, but it would also require regular watering, fertilization, pest control, and expelling the unique mutants on the wasteland and defending against extreme weather on the wasteland.
The climate in the wasteland was not as smooth as it was in reality.
Even in the less radioactive suburbs, clouds of unusual color would occasionally drift across the sky. It would be fine when it was not raining, but it would be very bad when it rained...
After listening to Luca’s report, Chu Guang continued to look at Wrench waiting at the side. Judging from the expression on his face, he seemed to have some good news to tell him.
Before waiting for the administrator to ask, Wrench immediately stepped forward and took the initiative to speak after he saw Luca finally finish speaking, "Sir, I also have something important to report!"
"What is it?"
Restraining the joy in his heart, Wrench said excitedly. "The marauders stationed at Remote Creek Town have withdrawn!"
Withdrawn?
Chu Guang was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed.
What the hell!
Why! Why did they run away?!